1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information processing apparatuses and methods, and more specifically to an information processing apparatus and method that allow quick extraction of desired data with an inexpensive structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
In processes for extracting metadata from time-series data such as broadcast data, it is important to detect a change in a predetermined feature value detected from input data on the time axis.
A detector for extracting metadata refers to past data on the time axis and compares a predetermined feature value detected from current input data with that of the past data.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example structure of an existing metadata extraction apparatus 10.
In FIG. 1, the metadata extraction apparatus 10 receives, as input data, time-sequential data such as moving image data.
A detector 11 detects a predetermined feature value from the input data and outputs it as output data. The data output from the detector 11 is stored in a delay element 12. The detector 11 compares a predetermined feature value obtained from current input data with feature values stored in the delay element 12 to detect a period of the moving image that satisfies predetermined conditions to thereby extract metadata.
Another technique is to display still images formed of a plurality of slit-shaped images indicating an overview of the images on a display element and to display a visual representation of an overview of audio data corresponding to the slit-shaped images of the still images, such as the sound level and type of sound, in association with the slit-shaped images to allow accurate recognition of the overview of the images and sound to promote more efficient operations such as editing (see Japanese Patent No. 3158291).